Science & Technology

Stanford Vice Provost and Dean of Research Kathryn Moler wants all research resources to be as readily available as books in a library. This model would enable faculty and students to pursue the most innovative research in flexible, collaborative teams.

Our growing need for food poses one of the biggest threats to the environment. Stanford ocean and food security experts explain how the ocean could produce dramatically more food while driving sustainable economic growth.

A technique called COSMOS will help researchers understand how our brains work and aid in the development of new drugs. The inventors have created an instructional website to help other researchers build their own relatively-inexpensive COSMOS systems.

Theoretical population biology – a field focused on mathematical modeling of biological phenomena – informs research in demography, ecology, evolution, epidemiology and genetics. One of the premier journals in the field, started at Stanford, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Analysis of thousands of vertebrate species reveals that extinction rates are likely much faster than previously thought. The researchers call for immediate global action, such as a ban on the wildlife trade, to slow the sixth mass extinction.

Desalination – the conversion of saltwater to freshwater – has been limited by high operational costs. A new device capable of turning desalination waste into commercially valuable chemicals could make the process cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

The program is a fundamentally new type of postdoctoral training focused on attracting diverse and exceptional scholars from around the world to cultivate new directions in foundational scientific research.